After complaints from nearby residents the RPSO reports the arrests of 4 Tioga residents. A search warrant was served on Stokes Road Sept. 5 by agents of the department's Metro Division. Four people were present, and agents found "and seized suspected methamphetamine, packaging materials, scales and other narcotic-related paraphernalia. All four were arrested and booked into the Rapides Parish Detention Center.

Southwest Louisiana Congressman Clay Higgins introduces legislation that would mandate random drug tests for U-S House and Senate members. If there’s a failed test, the Ethics Committee can take further action. Higgins says you wouldn’t want emergency personnel to be intoxicated on the job, you sure wouldn’t want legislators to be under the influence either.

Entergy Louisiana is sending a team of 200 employees and contractors to the East Coast. Hurricane Florence is expected to pack a mighty punch that could cause some extensive power outages. Entergy Louisiana Spokesperson Lee Sabatini says in addition to line workers, they are sending over people for various duties in the cleanup effort.

Nine former softball players have filed complaints with the Office of Civil Rights for Title Nine violations alleging that while attending the University of Louisiana at Lafayette they were deprived of appropriate trainers, training facilities, equipment, and supplies when compared to the resources provided to male athletes. Attorney Allison Jones says the players also faced retaliation for bringing up the claims. The University strongly denies the allegations.

Louisiana, Texas, Alabama and Mississippi would all get a significantly larger share of Federal offshore energy revenue from the Gulf of Mexico under a bill proposed by U.S. Rep. Garret Graves of Baton Rouge that was approved by the U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources on Thursday. The legislation amends the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006 to increase to 50 percent the share of revenue paid by oil, gas and other energy companies that would go to Louisiana and other states from certain lease areas. The bill also removes a $500 million a year cap on how much money can be shared with states each year. The amendment has a long way to go since it must still be approved by the full House and the Senate.

The Haynesville is producing more natural gas than at any time since 2012. The shale seemed to be on it’s way out after cratering several years ago, but since 2016 has seen extraction levels rise. The shale produced 6.4 billion cubic feet of natural gas a day in June, good for 8.5 percent of all US production. The shale occupies a portion of north west Louisiana.

Seven escaped inmates are back in custody after Wednesday’s breach at Madison Parish Detention Center in Tallulah. LaSalle Corrections Development Executive Kevin Sumrall says it doesn’t not appear to be a premeditated prison break and were able to escape through a wired fence, with no apparent planned goal in mind..

Federal workplace safety investigators and pipe manufacturer Stupp Corporation are investigating the death of a 29-year-old man killed in an industrial accident Thursday in Baker. The Stupp Corporation officials promised in a statement Thursday that their internal investigation into the death of Stephen Deggs will be thorough and they will cooperate with local authorities and the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Medical personnel transported Deggs, who was a production employee at Stupp, to a hospital. East Baton Rouge Coroner Beau Clark confirmed Deggs died in the hospital. Clark said the official cause of the death has not yet been determined.

Lafayette City Marshal Brian Pope's legal problems mounted Thursday as a grand jury handed down another criminal indictment on seven felony counts of malfeasance in office. That’s on top of the seven felonies that Pope is scheduled to be tried on in less than two weeks. The latest charges accuse Pope of unlawfully taking Marshal’s Office funds on seven occasions this year, from January to July. The total amount Pope is accused of taking exceeds $13,000.

Bossier Sheriff Julian Whittington is joining a nationwide collective of sheriffs who are raising money for a campaign to build awareness about the need for a border wall with Mexico. The group, backed by the Federation of Americans for Immigration Reform, has set a 100,000 dollar goal. Whittington says he’s joined, despite being over 500 miles away from the border. He says it’s a move that’s getting a good deal of support from the Bossier community.

The Supreme Court is taking up the appeal of a St. Tammany man who says US Wildlife and Fisheries is illegally blocking him from developing his property on the Mississippi border. The site has been designated a critical habitat for the dusky gopher frog. But the property owner’s lawyer, Mark Miller, says it’s a government overreach because the frogs don’t actually live there. Wildlife and Fisheries estimates only 100 of the frogs are still alive and are currently confined to a small area near Pearl River.

But Center for Biological Diversity lead lawyer Collette Adkins says the frogs may not yet be living in that area, but for them to have a chance in the future, the land must be kept available.

Sports

The annual Tiger Bowl kicks off Saturday as LSU travels to Jordan-Hare Stadium to take on Auburn. Both teams come into the match-up undefeated but LSU has an uphill battle as this game tends to be dominated by the home team. Tiger Rag Editor James Moran says LSU’s offensive line struggled against Southeastern last week and that won’t fly playing the war eagles…Airtime 12:30p tomorrow on 96.9 KZMZ & 104.9 KSYL

The Saints are big favorites at home again this Sunday as they take on the Cleveland Browns. Cleveland has not won a road game since October 2015. A loss for New Orleans and it will be difficult for them to repeat an 0-2 start and still make the playoffs. Gregg Williams who was the defensive coordinator for the Saints Super Bowl season, is now the heading up the Browns defense.

ULM will bring a 2-0 record to College Station this Saturday where’ they’ll face Texas A-and-M who is coming off a two-point loss to the number two team in the country, the Clemson Tigers. The Warhawks are feeling good about themselves after a road win at Southern Miss. ULM Coach Matt Viator says it was good to see the defense make a big stop at the end of that game. These two teams last met in 2014 and the Aggies only won by five points.

Hahnville Quarterback Andrew Robison remains ineligible for the season after his appeal was denied by the LHSAA executive committee today. Robison transferred from Vanderbilt Catholic to Hahnville, but was ruled ineligible prior to the season as the association cited “undue influence” recruiting rule.